...and in October of 2002 when I wrote it, I can assure you that this man did not exist (erehem, in this form). So why is this not-so-great snippet worth a mention? Well, from at least 1998-2000 (the MFA years) I was mostly strictly and defiantly autobiographical in my writing. My thesis advisor (bless the [...]
Tag: the writerly life
I Talk Shit To Myself (and maybe you should too)
I would lie and blame it on hypnotherapy. But it happened way before that. I'm a domestic under pressure. Stressed? I iron. Stalling to avoid some perceived craziness (like going to work)? Scrub the tub and wash the dishes. Company not coming (like ever)? Purge the place with incense and dust the baseboards. So it [...]
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The Ultimate Guide to Writing Better Than You Normally Do
The Ultimate Guide to Writing Better Than You Normally Do. Colin Nissan WRITE EVERY DAY Writing is a muscle. Smaller than a hamstring and slightly bigger than a bicep, and it needs to be exercised to get stronger. Think of your words as reps, your paragraphs as sets, your pages as daily workouts. Think of [...]
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Monthly Meter: September
fellowship/publication submissions: 9 fellowship/publication acceptances: 1 fellowship/publication rejections: 4 books: The Art of the Poetic Line - James Longenbach The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz Secret Shame: Diana's Bananas--they look a little lewd (or maybe that's just my Freudian foolishness) but they taste so good! And my dingy truck--when did I become one of [...]
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Away
For most of my late 20s and early 30s, all I wanted to do was go away. I read books about expatriate artists; joined listservs to hear the tales of those who were living a lifestyle I was convinced was the one I needed to live to rattle my chains. The truth is I was [...]
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Bottom of the Hill
I'm standing at the bottom of the hill. I tell myself the obvious: this is about to hurt. I stretch; play Olympic Girl. But I'm a terrible actress. So my stretch looks more like stalling. Which is exactly what I'm doing. I launch and play my usual soundtrack in my head--"Lose Yourself" by Eminem. Soon--not [...]
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A Comic Strip For My Poet Friends
Okay, so I spend a lot of time being serious on here, but this one is for all my poet friends out there... *to view the cartoon in a more reader-friendly size, just right click your mouse and select "View Image" from the drop down menu.
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Monthly Meter: August
fellowship/publication submissions: 8 fellowship/publication acceptances: 0 fellowship/publication rejections: 3 books: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man - James Weldon Johnson *Coming Home - Stacy Hawkins Adams Jonestown: A Vexation - Carmen Gillepsie The Onliest One Alive - Catherine (Hyacinth) Thrash as told to Marian K. Towne *Kindred - Octavia Butler Secret Shame: 1. Popcorn for [...]
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Marrow (A Sort of Update)
56 poems into my manuscript and I'm back to Day One. On Day One, I was enrolled in the workshop where the project was born. A. Van Jordan, our instructor, had us select a historic event and try writing about it. Often, okay it is the case for me and I can only speak for [...]
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On the Selling of Souls, or Eff the Man
When I was a kid I loved to hear my dad tell stories. First of all, he's a consummate storyteller--animations and all--and secondly he's a man with many stories thanks to his life experiences. One of my favorites was when he would talk of people who were rumored to have "sold their souls to the [...]
darlene anita scott 